Fishing-rod.



N0. 686,647. Patented NOV. I2, |90I.

W. H. BOOTH.

FISHING HOD.

(Application led July 5, 1901.)

(No Model.)

me miams uns co., Fumounn., wAsmNomu, o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. BOOTH, OF BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA.

FISHING-ROD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,647, dated November12, 1901.

Application tiled J'uly 5, 1901. Serial No. 67,189. (No model.) I

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. BOOTH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baton Rouge, in the parish of East Baton Rouge and State ofLouisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFishing-Rods; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as willenable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in fishing-rods, and has for itsobject to provide the rod with an attachment whereby the fishy is hookedupon the line through the action of a spring, thereby supersedin g theold method of snapping the line up manually to effect the same result.It also provides certain features of novelty over other poles that willhereinafter appear.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l represents a view, partly insection, of my irnproved rod. Fig. 2 represents an enlarged sectionalview of a portion of the same. Fig. 3 represents a sectional view,enlarged, upon the line 3 3, Fig. 2, and looking in the direction of thearrow. Fig. 4 represents an enlarged sectional View on lthe line 4 4,Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow; and

Fig. 5 represents in sectional view the end of the rod. f

Similar parts are designated by the same reference letters throughoutthe several views.

A represents the rod, preferably composed of several lengths of taperingtubular sections a a, detachably connected together in any suitablemanner. This rod carries at its outer end a rounded ferrule B, screwedupon the end of the last section of the rod. These tubes have a bore Crunning longitudinally throughout the length of the rod, through whichpasses the line D. This rod A is connected at its lower end with theforward grip E, provided withv the passage F, through which passes theline D. The opposite end of this grip E is detachably connected to thehollow cylindrical casing G, to the lower end of which is secured thegrip H. This cylindrical casing G is slotted longitudinally on oppositesides, as shown at g g. Within the 'acted upon by the spring P3.

mountedk in the standards m m of the reel-k holder I. To the narrowedportion of said ushaft K is rigidly secured the ratchet-wheel N, andupon the reel-holder I is secured the pawl n, upon which acts the springn. VBretween the ratchet N and the side of the box J is interposed acoiled spring k', allowing the shaft to be thrust toward the left, butnormallytending to retain it in the position shown in Fig. 3.

Upon the flange m' of the reel M is provided the stop or projection m2,which normally engages the perforation n0 of the ratchet-wheel N, butwhen the ratchet is drawn outwardly with thershaft the same areseparated.

Mounted in lthe upper forward end of the casing G is a support O, `uponthe supports o o of which is pivoted a detent or pawl P,

this pawl and extending through the casing G is a press button or studQ. The pawl P is provided with the pointedlug P', which registers withthe opening P2 in the reel-holder when the same is in its eXtremeforward position.

R is a coiled spring under tension, having one end attached to thereel-holder and its opposite end connected to the rear end g' of thecasing G, cups or recesses g2 g2 being provided to guide the sprin g.This spring is constantly tending to draw the reel-holder and the reelback, but is prevented bythe pawl or detent P.

The operation of the device isvas follows: First the line D is unwoundfrom the reel M until it is of the required length. This is effected bypressing the finger upon the knob 1c and giving the shaft alateralthrust, thereby disengaging the stop 'm2 from the hole n0, the reel Mbeing so mounted as to freely unwind Connected to IOO when thusreleased. When it is desired to shorten the line, the crank L is turnedto the right, the pawl n engaging the teeth of the ratchet-wheelN,preventing any retrogression of the reel and crank, the reel now beinglocked to the ratchet-wheel by the stud or stop m2. Vhen the device isin readiness, the reel-holder, carrying the reel M, is drawn up into theforward position (see Fig. 2) and is there automatically locked by thepawl P. When a bite is detected upon the line, the knob Q is pressedwith the thumb to release the pawl P from the opening P2 of thereelholder I, allowing the spring R to quickly retract the reel-holder,carrying the reel M. This reel M being normally locked againstunwinding, the line D is consequently drawn back by the reel, therebysnapping up the hook and catching the fish upon the line.

This device is designed as an improvement upon the so-calledautomatically-operated rods, where the biting of the fish is dependedupon to automatically bring into action a spring or the like; but thesedevices are very uncertain in action, and my invention is designed toproduce a rod having a positive action.

It is obvious that although the herein-described rod possesses a greatmany improvements over the ordinary rod, yet the same does not occupyany more space and is just as easily handled as the ordinary rod.

The feature of using a hollow or tubular rod and running the linethrough the inside of the rod constitutes an improvement over rods ofthe type heretofore constructed, as it has been the usual practice torun the line upon the outside of the rod, frequently becoming entangledand snapped. It is obvious that this could never happen with my device,as the line and all operating parts are completely inclosed andself-contained.

It is obvious that many changes might be made in my device, as manymodifications will suggest themselves to any one skilled in the art towhich my invention appertains, and I therefore do not limit myself tothe precise details herein shown.

Having thus described my said invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is`

l. In a fishing-rod, the combination with a hollow tubular rod, throughwhich the line passes, and a hollow casing carried by said rod; of areel mounted to slide within said casing, carrying the line, a springnormally tending to retract said reel, and mechanism for releasing thesame, substantially as described.

2. In a fishing-rod, the combination with a hollow rod, through whichthe line passes, and a cylindrical casing connected to and in alinementwith said rod; of a reel-holder within said casing, a rcel carrying theline mounted in said holder, a spring normally tending to retract saidholder, and manually-operated means for releasing said holder,substantially as described.

3. In a fishing-rod, the combination with the rod, and a hollow casingconnected thereto; ot' a reel-holder slidably mounted therein, a reelmounted within said casing, and means upon the outside of said casingfor operating said reel, substantially as described.

4. In a fishing-rod, t-he combination with the rod, and a hollow casingconnected thereto of a reel-holder slidably mounted therein, a reelmounted within said casing, means upon the outside of said casing foroperating said reel, a spring normally tending to retract saidreel-holder, and means for releasing the same, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a fishing-rod, the combination with the rod, and a hollow casingconnected thereto; of a reel-holder slidably mounted therein, a reelmounted within said casing, means upon the outside of said casing foroperating said holder, a pawl within said casing adapted to engage saidreel-holder and a releasingknob extending through said casing, andadapted to be operated from the outside of the same, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a fishing-rod, the combination with the rod, andahollow slottedcasing attached thereto; of a reel-holderslidably mounted in saidcasing, a shaft capable of longitudinal movement carried by said holder,and passing through said slots, a reel loosely mounted upon said shaft,carrying a stop or stud, a ratchet adapted to be engaged bya pawl uponsaid holder, rigidly secured to said shaft, having a perforation adaptedto engage said stop, said shaft being provided with a winding crank andknob, a pawl mounted in said casing, adapted to engage said holder, anda spring connected to said holder, adapted to retract said holder whensaid pawl is released, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. BOOTH.

Witnesses:

T. E. McHUGH, SAML. M. DooLEY.

IOO

